After going 5-1 over the last half of the season to make the playoffs, the Abstract Machines saw their improbable comeback stopped by the Colossal Waste of Time, as the Jodys came out on top of a 32 – 23 score Sunday in the first of two Wild Card games.  Led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers with 10 points, the Time Wasters got solid contributions from receivers Roddy White and Calvin Johnson, who posted 8 and 7 points, respectively, and from running back Frank Gore, who also added 7 points before succumbing to a game-ending knee injury.  Gore’s status for Championship Week is uncertain at this point. 

The Machines, who had averaged just under 60 total points over the last seven games of the regular season, picked the wrong time to fall off their peak.  Though quarterback Matt Cassel matched Rodgers’ 10 points, and RB Thomas Jones and kicker Jeff Reed each added 7, no other Machines player was good for more than 5.  Receiver Bernard Berrian slumped to a single point, and with the game on the line, Machines RB Willie Parker and receiver Santana Moss combined for a mere 3.  Defensively, the Machines’ Titans and Jody’s Bears each posted 10 takeaway points, which was near the Bears’ season average, but a noticeable drop in production for Mike F’s league leading Titans.

The win means the 8-6 C.W.O.T. will take on the 12-1 Naughty Figs for a third time this season, in Championship week.  Having dropped both previous matchups, Jody is no doubt hoping the third time’s the charm.  The Machines, who were playing in their sixth consecutive Wild Card game, saw their season end with a 7-7 record.  Ironically, it was a 44 – 39 loss to the C.W.O.T. in week 7 that served as the springboard to the Machines 5-1 finish to the regular season, a great run which got them to the playoffs – only to be book-ended by the Pewter-and-Black.

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The Anderson Brewmeisters became the final piece of the Championship Week puzzle, as they crushed the Irwin Hellions 65 - 39 in the second of two Wild Card games.  Scoring early and often, the backfield of Peyton Manning, Brian Westbrook, and LaDanian Tomlinson finally looked more like the Brewmeisters of seasons past than this year’s disappointments, as Westbrook took game honors with a 17 point performance, Manning added 15, and Tomlinson posted 8.  This early charge, coupled with a defensive performance that saw the Brewskies’ Cardinals take 11 away from the Hellions, while scoring two DTD’s, allowed to the Brewmeisters to build a 35 point lead heading into Monday night’s 4th quarter.  Although Irwin’s DeAngelo Williams scored 15 rushing points to lead his team, his 186 yard rushing night unfortunately came at the expense of the Hellions’ Tampa Bay defense.  Making matters worse, the Brew Krew got 9 total points out of receiver Steve Smith, whose 117 yards receiving also hit the Bucs D in the gut.  The result was a paltry 3 takeway points from Tampa Bay, and a quick exit from the playoffs from the Hellions, who finished their 2008 season at an even 7-7.

The 8-6 Brewmeisters, meanwhile, will head to Bockville, for a rematch of last season’s Championship Week game with the Thomas Bock Boys.  This will be the third straight appearance in Championship Week for the Brewskies, and like last year, their road to the Superbowl must go through Bockville.  Both previous CW appearances resulted in Super Bowl trips for the Brewmeisters.  Are the Brewskies peaking at the right time for another trophy run?

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The Pimps won the right to take next season’s first overall draft pick by doubling up the Sims Stereco in the Draft Bowl, 35 – 17.  Though the Stereco took an early lead, the Pimps refused to cave.  And in one of those rare but exciting head-to-head matchups, Pimps quarterback Matt Ryan outdueled Sims’ vaunted passer Drew Brees 12-11 to take high game honors.  Ryan received good kicking support from the Pimps’ Kris Brown, who posted 9 points, and Adrian Peterson rushed and caught 117 yards of all-purpose yardage to add 6 more to the victors.  Sims got the majority of his non-quarterback points from receivers Wes Welker (9) and Larry Fitzgerald (7), but Joe Addai and Brandon Jacobs failed to produce, combining for just 5 points.  The big difference maker for this game, however, was Russ’ Dolphins defense, who bested Sims’ faltering Packers squad 20 – 6.  When added to the 3 point home field advantage, this accounted for all but one of the final point spread, and at least gave the Pimps the satisfaction of claiming next season’s top draft pick.

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